PCW: Reporting of violence against women still a problem in PH

Reporting cases of violence against women is still a problem in society, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said on Wednesday.

At a Palace press briefing, PCW chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla pointed out that cases of violence against women usually stayed among family members.

''Una po, mayroon tayong problema sa pagtatala ng numero (First, we have a problem when it comes to reporting). Ang sabi po ng Philippine National Police, isa lamang sa sampung kaso ang nairereport (According to the Philippine National Police, only one out of 10 cases are reported) so reporting is a problem because this kind of problem is more preferred to be kept in the confines of the family. Nahihiya po sila (They are ashamed to report.),'' Valdeavilla said.

'''Yung iba po hindi nagrereport kasi wala po silang tiwala doon sa kanilang pinagrereportan o kaya hindi nila alam ang gagawin nila at di rin nila alam kung ano ang magiging resulta ng kanilang paglapit sa kanilang pagsusumbungan,'' she added.

(Some individuals are not reporting because they don't trust the authorities to whom they're filing their complaint or they don't know what to do, and they don't know the results of their complaints.)

Aside from a scientific study, Valdeavilla also said there is a need to have protocols when it comes to how the public could intervene in incidents of violence against women.

Last month, the PCW began the annual observance of the national 18-day Campaign to End VAW, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-VAWC Act of 2004.

The 18-day Campaign serves as a national call to action, rallying all sectors of the society, including government agencies, local government units, women’s rights organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, media entities, and private groups and individuals to reaffirm their commitment to the advocacy.

The Philippine National Police recorded a total of 11,585 VAW-related cases in its Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) for 2023, data from the PCW has shown.

These include 8,055 cases under the Anti-VAWC Act (RA 9262), 2,791 cases under the Anti-Rape Law (RA 8353 as amended by RA 11648), 473 cases under the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313), 59 cases under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (RA 7877), and 207 cases under the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 9208 as amended by RA 11862.

Meanwhile, from January to November 30, 2024, 11,636 cases have been recorded.

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Andree Deedee Abella, officer-in-charge of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Division of the PNP, there are 5,310 women police officers who are trained to handle sensitive cases involving women and children.

She said the WCPC employs a systematic way of recording incidence of violence against women through the PNP Crime Incident Reporting and Analysis System or the CIRAS. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News